The invention relates to a differential drive with a drivable differential carrier rotatably supported in a differential housing. Two axle shaft gears are rotatably held in cylindrical bores in the differential carrier. The two axle shaft gears are coaxially arranged relative to one another. A plurality of differential gears are also supported in bores in the differential carrier. The differential gears rotate with the differential carrier and are arranged axis-parallel therewith and to the axle shaft gears. A first group of differential gears engages one of the axle shaft gears and a second group of differential gears engages the other of the axle shaft gear. Each differential gear of the first group engages at least one of the differential gears of the second group to achieve an uneven torque distribution between the axle shaft gears.
Differential drives of this type are used as so-called central differentials in motor vehicles driven by several axles. Central differentials distribute torque unevenly to the driven axles with the highest percentage of torque, as a rule, being allocated to the axle loaded by the engine. A differential drive of this type is shown in EP 0 347 165 A1. Here, a differential has axle shaft gears of different sizes spaced at axial distances from one another. This spacing ensures that the differential gears engage either one or the other axle shaft gear and are able to find a region of undisturbed mutual tooth engagement.